1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to packaging. Specifically, the present invention relates to comestible and liquid container carriers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Disposable comestible and liquid container carriers, referred to hereinafter as carriers, come in multitudinous shapes and sizes. Continued growth and commercial competition within the convenience food industry has generated intense research and development in carrier art.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,094,264, issued Jun. 18, 1963, to J. Petrone, describes a carrier comprising an elongated trough for receiving foodstuff, such as a hot dog, and having at one end of the trough a panel which extends across the trough. The panel has a bore therethrough for receiving a liquid container. Petrone's invention fails to provide an enclosure for comestible containment or sleeves for liquid container containment. Petrone's invention also has no pivotable closures.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,201,024, issued Aug. 17, 1965, to A. Brokop, describes a handled carrier or tray for receiving foodstuff and liquid containers. As in the case with Petrone's invention, Brokop's invention fails to provide an enclosure for comestible containment or sleeves for liquid container containment and has no pivotable closures. Brokop's invention has a handle at each end of the tray which restrict both of the user's hands. Conversely, the present invention provides a superposed, singular handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,523, issued Mar. 3, 1970, to W. F. Stembridge et al., describes a carrier comprising a plurality of sleeves for receiving liquid containers and a superposed, singular handle. Stembridge's invention also fails to provide for hinged closures to contain foodstuff. Stembridge's handle is configured to hang liquid containers, rather than as a circumscribing means to discourage dislodgement of the liquid containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,323 issued Feb. 23, 1971, to J. H. Katzenmeyer, describes a carrier that is a cross between Stembridge's and Brokop's inventions: panels with bores therethrough which receive liquid containers and a centrally superposed singular handle. Similar to the above references, Katzenmeyer invention fails to provide for comestible containment, sleeves for receiving liquid containers, or a wrap-around handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,380 issued Feb. 8, 1972, to W. W. Huffman, describes a carrier comprising a box with a roof-like top having an apex. A handle extends upward from the apex. Huffman's invention provides rings from which to hang liquid containers. The rings are separated along blanked perforated lines and folded up to receive liquid containers. Huffman's invention fails to provide for comestible containment, sleeves for receiving liquid containers, or a wrap-around handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,502, issued May 22, 1979, to R. L. Forte, describes a carrier made up of dual, cooperative panels disposed at an acute angle to each other, each having bores therethrough for receiving and frictionally engaging liquid containers, and a centrally superposed singular handle. Forte's invention fails to provide for comestible containment, sleeves for receiving liquid containers, or a wrap-around handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,259 issued Jan. 23, 1990, to S. D. Paley, describes a carrier comprising dual wells, a deep well for retaining elongated foodstuffs and a shorter well including a panel for receiving a liquid container. The shorter well includes a panel having a bore therethrough to secure the liquid container. As in the case of the above-discussed references, Paley's invention fails to provide for comestible containment, sleeves for receiving liquid containers, or a wrap-around handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,557 issued Oct. 1, 1991, to F. L. Contino et al., describes a carrier comprising a tray with pockets for receiving liquid containers and pivoting closures which, when closed, contain the liquid containers. The closures have apertures which come into registration and define a superposed singular handle. Contino's invention, although providing pockets, fails to provide a lipped tray capable of containing contents deposited therein. Contino's invention also does not provide separate accommodations for items having different temperature requirements.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,007 issued Dec. 10, 1991, to T. G. Kadien, describes a carrier comprising a panel having a bore therethrough for receiving liquid containers and a second panel on which the liquid containers may rest. Kadien fails to provide for comestible containment or sleeves for receiving liquid containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,583 issued Nov. 24, 1992, to R. J. C. Kouwenberg, describes a two-piece carrier wherein the bottom half has a plurality of insulated sleeves for receiving liquid containers. The top half has a cap including a like number of insulated sleeves which, when the top and bottom halves are mated, are in registration with the sleeves in the bottom half. Kouwenberg's invention does not have hinged closures nor does it provide for inviolate comestible containment while permitting accessibility to a liquid container stored therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,325 issued Dec. 1, 1992, to J. M. Sykora, describes a carrier comprising an open sided, box-shaped structure. The top of the box has bores therethrough for receiving bottle necks. The closed sides of the box have apertures for receiving a portion of a bottle bottom. Sykora's invention fails to include closures for comestible containment or a wraparound handle.
European Patent No. 0 473 266 A1 published Mar. 4, 1992, and issued to A. Saulas, describes a box-like carrier having a handle. Saulas' invention fails to provide a sleeve for receiving a liquid container or a wrap-around handle.
None of the above references, taken alone or in combination, are seen as teaching or suggesting the presently claimed carrier.